I’m an SJ local, and in addition to layoffs, the cost of living here is one of the highest in the country. Another factor might be that SJMade has been hosting a lot more local craft markets in recent years, so a lot of people go to those to shop since they don’t have entrance fees and you see a lot of the same artists you would at larger cons. Like they just had a huge outdoor market last weekend with live music and a kitten lounge. So I imagine that probably drew some of the sales, since people who mostly go to cons to shop might choose to just wait for the market instead of purchasing a con ticket.
yes! I am a huge fan of SJMade events as well- and will have a table at their upcoming market in July (though my friends are helping me run the table)! I do agree- there's a good chunk of artists who do both. Though, Fanime is kind of a different flavor of market, like clearly more anime-based, so I guess it lies with the interest of the shopper. I have a lot of friends who live in the Bay, and I quake in my boots whenever I hear how much rent is out there T^T
Thank you for showing the exact numbers that you made! Few people actually show it on their con vlogs and I find it extremely helpful. We have to help us out between us artists!
You’re welcome 🙂 I find it helpful as well, even if I’m not accounting for every penny that really goes into these events. I think a general idea can help others prepare, and revenue is a decent sense of how well an event is done ☺️
I bought both of your Snoopy sheets! I was so happy to see them since I loved them growing up. Great to see an artist perspective for fanime :) Also your aisle display strat was very effective!
Fantastic vlog and amazing table set up! Love your new items. I also felt that 40% drop in sales in most of my event this year, it's been a rough one. I'm glad you did well regardless!
Sales are definitely down. We had more items this year and we did about the same (slightly lower). Monday was usually a spike of sales to get deals but it was so dead! (PS: we're in the exhibit hall selling prints and original work)
I attended Fanime this year. I did hear of the staff walkouts but I honestly didn't think it impacted attendance numbers simply by how crowded everything was (I could be wrong... only someone with the actual attendee numbers could say). From my personal perspective, Artist Alley was just TOO crowded. I couldn't really stop at many of the tables to see what people were selling (or just... get down an alleyway to see the tables. It was a wall of human bodies in several of them) Plus the prices for products had gone up and yeah, money has gotten tighter overall for many, so at least for me, I had to be more selective with what I decided to buy. As for Friday, not sure if it's a common thing in anime cons, but there was a long line just... waiting to get into the artist alley and vendor halls before 2PM. I almost thought it was a celeb signing line, but nope. Just general artist alley/vendor halls entry.
yeah I think that's one of the reasons why so many artists will give anything to be at this convention- Artist Alley here is so competitive and stacked with talent that it's a major feature of this con!
there's a lot of factors! Pricing strategy, displays, capitalizing on a popular fandom, and just being at the right event at the right time. Sometimes I get a little insecure because I know I ended up making half of some of my friends, but it's NEVER a competition and everyone's expenses are soooo different.. also I often don't account for my Cost-of-Goods-Sold, which can be higher/lower than some others.
The Miffy sticker sheets are sooo cute !!! Idk if you’ll be in Montreal for the otakuthon (just discovered your channel) but I’d love to get my hands on those stickers ❤
Ahhh I'm doing Otakon in DC later this year, but not Otakuthon in Montreal T.T I will have these sheets available for my shop update in (ideally) Mid-July though!!
This was a good vlog. It really opened my eyes on being a vendor at a con. I've been wanting to sell at Fanime and SacAnime, but I wasn't sure if it was worth it, especially since I'm not from Cali haha
Hi hi! Thank you so much for watching! And out-of-state cons are definitely expensive to do, but the potential is also there…👀 but it varies A LOT from vendor to vendor! Only take risks you can afford 🙏🏼 wishing you the best! Fanime and SacAnime are probably some of the more competitive cons to get into, but for good reason 🤔😏
@Sundrop.Studios thank you so much for your reply ❤️ do you have any tips or tricks on getting to sign up or just vending in general? I do crochet so figuring out how much to make would be my biggest struggle 😂
I haven’t tried for SacAnime, which I know is a lottery system, but Fanime is a juried system- so make sure you have a beautiful portfolio (website) of great pictures first! I am I a completely different realm (crochet vs. art prints) so my quantities are probably not applicable. Fanime’s application process is quite stressful when that time comes around again next year.
There’s sooooo much potential once all the variables fall into place 🫶 demographic, the event itself, marketing, products, timing, season etc…. Be wise and take the risks you can afford!! 🤩
Wish I had stopped by your booth! This was my first time tabling at Fanime and it was amazing for us! But please, could you tell me where the good food is in San Jose? Because we were pretty disappointed by the local options :(
I'm sure our paths will cross again! 🤩 and all our usual faves areeee a bit of drive out from the convention center! in the Vlog, we hit up our usual favorites: Highland Noodle, Rantei Japanese Cuisine, Mifen 101, (in the vlog we had Cafe Mei sandwiches for lunch), Kunjip, and tons of regional Vietnamese Cuisine like Hue restaurant! 🧡
San Jose has sooo much good food (esp the Asian varieties)... but I do think you need to drive to reach most of them. @Sundrop.Studios' recommendations are good. Within walking distance is a food court called SoFA market and it has a few good options (I like Vietnoms inside).
Cash boxes are really nice to use during the con, but I think the biggest concern is that they’re usually too big to stow away in your backpack when you’re leaving the con- so you’re visually an easy target for theft. Most use coupon organizers (I have one linked in my Amazon store) and keep it safely buried on their persons (Fanny pack/ backpack/ purse)
hi! I have pretty much all of my con display stuff linked in my Amazon Affiliate storefront :D But I would be interested in making a more in-depth video 👀
I’ve been doing events long before vlogging- it took years to build up to these numbers 🙂 comparing numbers can be bumming but everyone is on their own timeline!
excuse me maam the transitions in the beginning? 😗🤌 and u had two events at same time?! 👏 I noticed its a lot harder this year on traveling cons, but at least u are killing it and made back expenses!
THANKS, the intro took a bit of planning and brain power hahaha And yes it’s absolutely more and more competitive nowadays…everything is getting more expensive 😓
I’m an SJ local, and in addition to layoffs, the cost of living here is one of the highest in the country. Another factor might be that SJMade has been hosting a lot more local craft markets in recent years, so a lot of people go to those to shop since they don’t have entrance fees and you see a lot of the same artists you would at larger cons. Like they just had a huge outdoor market last weekend with live music and a kitten lounge. So I imagine that probably drew some of the sales, since people who mostly go to cons to shop might choose to just wait for the market instead of purchasing a con ticket.
yes! I am a huge fan of SJMade events as well- and will have a table at their upcoming market in July (though my friends are helping me run the table)! I do agree- there's a good chunk of artists who do both. Though, Fanime is kind of a different flavor of market, like clearly more anime-based, so I guess it lies with the interest of the shopper. I have a lot of friends who live in the Bay, and I quake in my boots whenever I hear how much rent is out there T^T
Thank you for showing the exact numbers that you made! Few people actually show it on their con vlogs and I find it extremely helpful. We have to help us out between us artists!
You’re welcome 🙂 I find it helpful as well, even if I’m not accounting for every penny that really goes into these events. I think a general idea can help others prepare, and revenue is a decent sense of how well an event is done ☺️
I bought both of your Snoopy sheets! I was so happy to see them since I loved them growing up. Great to see an artist perspective for fanime :)
Also your aisle display strat was very effective!
Thank you for the snoopy love!!! And good to hear that- I was really fighting for a corner spot out there, glad to know it paid off 😭😭
Great video! Definitely felt that 30% drop from last year, still a super good show regardless. Also I think about the SJ food almost every day
yep, definitely still a show worth fighting to get into! ~ and SJ Food is my Roman Empire ~
Thanks for your videos - I love them! I think this year is harder all around for vendors due to the economy.
yeah absolutely! It's been this way for about a year. we're all out here doing the best we can with what we've got!
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for making them!
Fantastic vlog and amazing table set up! Love your new items. I also felt that 40% drop in sales in most of my event this year, it's been a rough one. I'm glad you did well regardless!
hi!! and yeah it's a bit of a bummer, but it is what it is, everyone's just trying to balance their life and moneys so I get it!
Sales are definitely down. We had more items this year and we did about the same (slightly lower). Monday was usually a spike of sales to get deals but it was so dead! (PS: we're in the exhibit hall selling prints and original work)
yeahhhh- it's a sign of the times. But I'm really happy with what I walked away with, and meeting all the locals!
I attended Fanime this year. I did hear of the staff walkouts but I honestly didn't think it impacted attendance numbers simply by how crowded everything was (I could be wrong... only someone with the actual attendee numbers could say). From my personal perspective, Artist Alley was just TOO crowded. I couldn't really stop at many of the tables to see what people were selling (or just... get down an alleyway to see the tables. It was a wall of human bodies in several of them) Plus the prices for products had gone up and yeah, money has gotten tighter overall for many, so at least for me, I had to be more selective with what I decided to buy.
As for Friday, not sure if it's a common thing in anime cons, but there was a long line just... waiting to get into the artist alley and vendor halls before 2PM. I almost thought it was a celeb signing line, but nope. Just general artist alley/vendor halls entry.
yeah I think that's one of the reasons why so many artists will give anything to be at this convention- Artist Alley here is so competitive and stacked with talent that it's a major feature of this con!
I'm still amazed how much money you and others pull in from these events. I'm usually lucky to break 2k on a big event.
there's a lot of factors! Pricing strategy, displays, capitalizing on a popular fandom, and just being at the right event at the right time. Sometimes I get a little insecure because I know I ended up making half of some of my friends, but it's NEVER a competition and everyone's expenses are soooo different.. also I often don't account for my Cost-of-Goods-Sold, which can be higher/lower than some others.
@@Sundrop.Studios i do a lot of plushies and that probably factors into costs for me as well however too
Love everything about this vlog! The cuts, editing, vibes, and you sharing your experiences and thoughts. ❤
gosh thank you!!
This is so good, your editing is so good☺☺
Thanks for tuning innnnn
The Miffy sticker sheets are sooo cute !!! Idk if you’ll be in Montreal for the otakuthon (just discovered your channel) but I’d love to get my hands on those stickers ❤
Ahhh I'm doing Otakon in DC later this year, but not Otakuthon in Montreal T.T I will have these sheets available for my shop update in (ideally) Mid-July though!!
That intro transition was sooo good!!! Glad this con went well! You're doing amazinggg!! Keep on keeping onn! ❤❤❤
🥰🥰 ahhhh thank you so much, I will will 😤
loved this vlog, your reflections and critiques are so insightful for someone new to the con scene 💕
i hope it's helpful!! thanks for tuning innnnn
Great video! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
that into Transistion was on point!!
helllll yeah~ thank you, I really mapped it out in my head and I'm glad it was worth it hahaha
This was a good vlog. It really opened my eyes on being a vendor at a con. I've been wanting to sell at Fanime and SacAnime, but I wasn't sure if it was worth it, especially since I'm not from Cali haha
Hi hi! Thank you so much for watching! And out-of-state cons are definitely expensive to do, but the potential is also there…👀 but it varies A LOT from vendor to vendor! Only take risks you can afford 🙏🏼 wishing you the best! Fanime and SacAnime are probably some of the more competitive cons to get into, but for good reason 🤔😏
@Sundrop.Studios thank you so much for your reply ❤️ do you have any tips or tricks on getting to sign up or just vending in general? I do crochet so figuring out how much to make would be my biggest struggle 😂
I haven’t tried for SacAnime, which I know is a lottery system, but Fanime is a juried system- so make sure you have a beautiful portfolio (website) of great pictures first! I am I a completely different realm (crochet vs. art prints) so my quantities are probably not applicable. Fanime’s application process is quite stressful when that time comes around again next year.
@@Sundrop.Studios this helps. I didn't know that's how they chose vendors. Sorry, one last question. When does Fanime open up their applications?
This year they opened apps in Jan! It’s always a few months before the event dates
as someone who has only done a few markets and made 134 at most these numbers are wild! congrats!
There’s sooooo much potential once all the variables fall into place 🫶 demographic, the event itself, marketing, products, timing, season etc…. Be wise and take the risks you can afford!! 🤩
Wish I had stopped by your booth! This was my first time tabling at Fanime and it was amazing for us! But please, could you tell me where the good food is in San Jose? Because we were pretty disappointed by the local options :(
I'm sure our paths will cross again! 🤩 and all our usual faves areeee a bit of drive out from the convention center! in the Vlog, we hit up our usual favorites: Highland Noodle, Rantei Japanese Cuisine, Mifen 101, (in the vlog we had Cafe Mei sandwiches for lunch), Kunjip, and tons of regional Vietnamese Cuisine like Hue restaurant! 🧡
San Jose has sooo much good food (esp the Asian varieties)... but I do think you need to drive to reach most of them. @Sundrop.Studios' recommendations are good. Within walking distance is a food court called SoFA market and it has a few good options (I like Vietnoms inside).
shoot, artist alley was so crazy, I never saw this booth
Hopefully next year 🥹🤞🏼
To add into the final part with the lay offs, I was one of them :')
I really wanted to go this year but decided against it 😭
That’s so fair 😭😭😭 gotta take care of yourself first!!
sweet intro >:3c love the vlog!!
Amazing Vlog showcasing the artists!
We were at Fanime 2024 and we interviewed 60 cosplayers for our channel. Day 1 is already uploaded.
I want to get some of those Snoopy stickers for my mom! I think she'd love them
They will be made available online in a few weeks :D I just need to get more restocked... and maybe make some more while I'm at it??? 🤔😄
3:13
Where do you buy these bags?
I have them in my “Con Artist Display Supplies” list on my Amazon storefront 😊 (linked in the description)
Just curious, but why not use a cashbox? I used one during my first con, but is there a better option?
Cash boxes are really nice to use during the con, but I think the biggest concern is that they’re usually too big to stow away in your backpack when you’re leaving the con- so you’re visually an easy target for theft. Most use coupon organizers (I have one linked in my Amazon store) and keep it safely buried on their persons (Fanny pack/ backpack/ purse)
@@Sundrop.Studios Ahhh, gotcha! Thank you for the tip!
Do you have a video or post about the thing you use to display your hanging prints?
hi! I have pretty much all of my con display stuff linked in my Amazon Affiliate storefront :D But I would be interested in making a more in-depth video 👀
@@Sundrop.Studios Okay thanks!! I would 1000% watch a video of you going into detail about your display and stuff like that!!!
haha i do that tape strips thingy for my shop too! >;3 I gotta come say hi if I ever sell at the same con with you! -Allison/Picklemimi
Please do!!!
Are you doing anime impulse in phoenix :)?
Unfortunately, no! I will be at Saboten tho, just a few weeks later :)
where can i find ur snoopy stickers c:
hehe, they will be available online during my next shop update in July !!
HOW DO YOU MAKE SO MUCH???!!!!! The BEST I've done at conventions is $2,000 🤣🤣😭
I’ve been doing events long before vlogging- it took years to build up to these numbers 🙂 comparing numbers can be bumming but everyone is on their own timeline!
what the hell kinda con goes into a Monday????
It was a holiday weekend 😊 but yes the 4 day cons are brutal af
excuse me maam the transitions in the beginning? 😗🤌 and u had two events at same time?! 👏 I noticed its a lot harder this year on traveling cons, but at least u are killing it and made back expenses!
THANKS, the intro took a bit of planning and brain power hahaha
And yes it’s absolutely more and more competitive nowadays…everything is getting more expensive 😓